Outsider's

Pity means that someone feels sorry for you.... Ponyboy didn't want anyone looking down and feeling sorry for him. He rather they'd hate him than pity him.

I hoped they hated us, that they weren't full of that pity-the-victims-of environment junk the social workers kept handing Curly Shepard every time he got sent off to reform school. I'd rather have anybody's hate than their pity.